Medicine Traditions
  • Home
  • Materia Medica
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine FREE
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica FREE
    • Mineral Materia Medica PRO
    • Mineral Materia Medica FREE
  • About
  • Formulas
  • Treatment
    • Types of Treatment in Traditional Medicine
    • Treatment of Specific Conditions
    • Diseases and Formulas
  • Resources
    • Brief Overview of Traditional Medicine
    • Theory
    • Timeline
    • Authors and Sources
    • Glossaries
    • Articles on Traditional Medicine
    • Photos
    • Medicine Pictures
    • Substitute Medicines
  • Patient Resources
  • Links & Texts
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
Sentry Page Protection
Please Wait...

Cough



Cough is one of the most common symptoms presented and can be caused by numerous disorders.
In the Western Tradition, Cough is broadly differentiated into Hot, Cold, Dry or Moist:
  • Heat-type Cough
  • Cold-type Cough
  • Dry-type Cough
  • Moist-type Cough
These are dealt with in detail below.

Cough should firstly be classed as acute or chronic.
Acute cases are said to be initiated by Wind, and can come with Heat, Cold or Toxin:
  • Acute Wind-Heat: itchy throat, irritable dry cough, yellow phlegm, red face, sweating, fever, fast pulse
  • Acute Wind-Cold: feels cold, pale face, cough with white or clear mucus
  • Acute Wind-Heat-Toxin: sore throat, feels unwell, harsh cough, yellow mucus, dirty yellow tongue coat
In these cases, Cough medicines (Anti-tussives) are combined with Diaphoretics (medicines to promote Sweat):

Examples:
Acute Wind-Heat:
  • Plantain with Licorice
  • Maidenhair, Hyssop and Licorice
Acute Wind-Cold:
  • Thyme, Aniseed and Licorice; 
  • Cinnamon twig, Almond, Licorice
  • Ephedra Ma Huang, Cinnamon twig, Licorice
Acute Heat-Toxin:
  • Violet with Licorice
  • Forsythia Lian Qiao, Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Licorice
  • Thyme, Plantain, Violet, Licorice

Chronic Cases can come from various causes. Firstly, it can be differentiated into excess and deficient.
  • Excess cases present with strong Cough, still with good energy, and the pulse is not weak
  • Deficient cases the person is weak, the Cough is weak and voice usually low. There is a lack of energy, pale face, weak pulse
In excess conditions, Purging, Fasting, Bloodletting and cleansing medicines are used.
In Deficient cases, a nourishing diet along with a mix of Lung tonics and medicines to stop Cough are used.


Excess Cough is of various types:
  • Wind: spasmodic or erratic dry Cough, nervous disposition, anxious
    • Thyme, Aniseed
    • Poppy seed, Almond, Licorice
    • Valerian, Peony root, Licorice
    • Cowlsip root, Peony
    • Chebulic Myrobalan, Clove, Tabasheer
    • Ephedra Ma Huang, Almond, Licorice
  • Cold: Cough with thick white Phlegm, pale tongue with a thick white Coat
    • Ginger, Licorice
    • Cinnamon, Almond, Licorice
    • Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice
    • Pinellia Ban Xia, Citrus Chen Pi, Ginger, Licorice
    • Ephedra Ma Huang, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Ginger, Licorice
  • Heat: Cough with yellow Phlegm, red tongue
    • Plantain leaf, Violet
    • Scutellaria Huang Qin, Platycodon Jie Geng, Licorice
    • Tabasheer, Almond, Licorice

Deficient cases are caused by deficient Qi, Yin or Yang:
  • Qi Deficient Cough: deficient or weak Cough, low energy, breathless, fatigue and poor digestion
    • Coltsfoot, Date, Raisin, Almond, Licorice
    • Elecampane, Raisin, Licorice
    • Astragalus Huang Qi, Licorice
  • Yin Deficient Cough: chronic dry Cough, no sputum, dry mouth and throat with a cracked tongue
    • Marshmallow root, Asparagus root, Raisin
    • Comfrey root, Plantain
    • Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Lillium Bai He, Licorice
  • Yang Deficient Cough: chronic Cough with white Phlegm, feels the Cold, copious pale urine, lower back pain
    • Cinnamon, Walnut, Licorice
    • Elecampane, Licorice, Cinnamon, Ginger
    • Almond, Fennel seed, Cinnamon
    • Walnut, Juniper
    • Ginseng, Cinnamon, Licorice

Differential Diagnosis based on Humoral System

Heat-type Cough

Heat-type Cough typically comes with irritable Cough with yellow phlegm, burning sensation, sore throat, red tongue, thirst, and a fast or strong pulse, often with Fever. There maybe flushing of the cheeks, flaring of the nostrils, with high colored Urine. It is alleviated by Cool air but aggravated by Hot air.

Useful Foods include:
  • Pumpkin, Amaranth, Purslane
  • Poached Egg Yolk, Cow Trotters

Simples
Date
Raisins
Almond
Barley

Plantain
Poppy
Violet
Sugar Penids


Four Cold Seeds
Poppy seed
Mallow seed
Quince seed

Tragacanth
Gum Arabic
Marshmallow root
Tabasheer

1. For Cough with Fever, Barley Water (Avicenna)
2. Gruel of Barley with Sugar (Avicenna)
3. Licorice, Tragacanth, Starch, mixed with Lettuce juice and formed into pills.
4. Boil Dates in Pomegranate juice
5. Cough caused by Heat or Dryness, Cucumber kernel, Pumpkin kernel, Poppy seed, Tragacanth Starch, Licorice, Purslane seed

6. Diacodion, Diatragacanth Frigidum, Sugar Penids (2 drams each), Armenian Earth (1 dram)
7. Diapenidium, Lohoch Sanum & Expertum


Compounds
1. Peppermint, Licorice, Sugar. Used for Wind-Heat cough with sore throat.
Julep of Violet
Syrup of Jujubes (Mesue)
Syrup of Poppy Simple

Syrup of Violet Compound
Syrup of Violet (De morbus internis curandis)
Syrup of Poppy
Syrup for Catarrh
Lohoch of Poppy
Lohoch of Spodium
Lohoch of Marshmallow

Sugar Penids with Spices (Diapenidum)
Tragacanth Cooling Powder (Diatragacanth Frigidum)
Pills of Stoechas

Black Troches for Cough (Troch. Bechici Nigra)(Mesue)
Pills of Cynoglossum


Sea Buckthorn 5 (Star bu 5) (Tibetan Medicine)
Rhodiola Four Decoction (Sro lo bzhi thang) (Tibetan)
Principle 8 (Gtso bo brgyad pa) (Tibetan Medicine)
Sandalwood 8 (Tsan dan brgyad pa) (Tibetan)
Gentiana algida 15 (Spang rgyan dkar po 15) (Tibet.)


Cold-type Cough

Cold-type Cough is associated with excess clear or white phlegm (sometimes green), a pale face, feeling of cold, a slow pulse. There is no desire to drink and the person fears the Cold.

Useful food includes:
  • Raisin, Figs, Dates, Pine nuts, Pitsachio, Almond
  • Chicken broth, Meat Soups, Lamb, flesh of Young Birds
  • Hydromel, Aged Aromatic Wine

Simples
Elecampane
Licorice
Orris

Myrrh
Gum Ammoniac
Storax
Ginger
Cinnamon
Thyme
Squill
Arum
Flowers of Sulphur
1. For Chronic Cough, hold a piece of Myrrh under the tongue. (Syrian "Book of Medicine", trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)
2. Myrrh or Storax with Honey (Avicenna)
3. Boil Garlic and Dates
4. Mastic with Honey (Avicenna)
5. Sulphur taken in a poached Egg (Avicenna)
6. Honey of Roses, Fig, Raisin, Licorice, Maidenhair (Avicenna)
7. Licorice, Tamarind, Saffron, Tragacanth, Pine nut, Cotton seed, Poppy seed, Dill seed, Aniseed, Myrrh, Saffron, Sugar


1. Coltsfoot flower, Green tea
Syrup of Hyssop (Mesue)
Syrup of Hyssop of Amaran
Syrup of Maidenhair
Syrup of Licorice (Mesue)

Syrup of Horehound (Augustana)
Syrup of Horehound (Fernelius)
Syrup of Horehound (Hamech)
Syrup of Myrrh
Syrup of Vinegar
Oxymel
Lohoch of Licorice
Lohoch of Squill
Lohoch of Coltsfoot
Lohoch of Pine nuts

Powder for Cough (Mesue)
Powder of Aniseed (Mesue)
Powder for Cold Cough
Powder to Warm the Lungs (Mesue)
Powder of Three Peppers (Diatrion Piperion) (Mesue)


Powder Proven for Lung Defects and Coughs (Galen)
Tragacanth Warming Powder (Diatragacanth Calidii)
Conserve of Hyssop flowers

Sugar Penids w Spices (Diapenidion cum Spicatum)
Confection for Cold Cough
Antidote Suitable for Cough (Nicholas)
Electuary for the Lungs (Lemery)
Electuary of Ginger (Dia Zingiber) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Horehound (Diaprassium) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Maidenhair (Zenon)
Tragacanth Warming Powder (Diatragacnth Calidum)
Electuary of Orris (Diareos Salomonis) (Nicholas)

Electuary of Hyssop (Diahyssopum) (Nicholas)
Sound and Experienced Electuary (Sanum et Expertum)
Philonium Romanum
Pills Proven for Coughs (Galen)
Pills of Agaric (Mesue)
Pills of Storax (Mesue)
Theriac
Mithridate

Cold & Dry Cough
Orris Powder (Diaireos Simplicis)
Electuary of Orris root (Diaireos Salomonis) (Nicholas)


Dry-type Cough

Cough with no sputum, dry mouth and throat, increases with hunger and movement but is alleviated by bathing, drinking moist drinks and rest. May come with or without Fever.

Useful Food includes:
Honey; Milk (as long as there is no Fever)
Barley Water (if there is Fever); Almond Soup, Pear soup


Simples
Licorice
Raisin
Pear
Marshmallow

Hyssop
Violet
Sorrel
Plantain


Tragacanth
Gum Arabaic
Sugar
Starch

Asparagus root
Comfrey
Compounds
1. Dry Cough without Expectoration, use Electuaries (Avicenna)
2. Barley Water with White Poppy (seed) and Sugar
3. Cucumber kernel, Musk Melon kernel, Pumpkin kernel, Tragacanth, Bean Flour
4. Cassia Fistula, Almond, Violet


1. One Pear cored and cubed, Apricot (or Almond) kernel, 10 grams. Boil together in water, sweeten with Sugar to taste. Good for dry Cough.
2. Honey and Egg tea. Put a tablespoon of Honey into a cup of water and bring to boil. Beat and egg in a separate bowl. Pour the Honey tea into the egg and mix well. Drink once or twice daily. This is for Dry or Yin deficienct Cough and Bronchitis.

Dry Cough
Syrup of Sorrel
Syrup of Poppy

Syrup of Violet (De morbus internis curandis)
Syrup of Tereniabin (Arabian Manna)
Black Troches for Cough (Troch. Bechici Nigra) (Mesue)
Troches for Cough (Andromachus)

Hot & Dry Cough
Tragacanth Cooling Powder (Diatragacanth Frigidum)
Halys Powder
Troches for Cough (Andromachus)


Principle 8 (Gtso bo brgyad pa) (Tibetan Medicine)


Moist-type Cough

Moist or wet cough has excess clear or whitish Phlegm, maybe runny nose and the sound of phlegm in the throat, more common in Moist constitutions, pale and wet or damp tongue coat, and a low, slippery pulse.


Simples
Honey water
Thyme

Ginger
Cinnamon
Orris juice
Birthwort


Bryony
Sarcocolla

1. Almond, Pistachio, Sugar. Mix and eat
2. Armenian Earth, Tragacanth, Gum Arabic, Peppermint, Hyssop, Thyme, Cinnamon, Maidenhair (Avicenna)


Electuarium Acahristum (Nicholas)
Diathamaron Magna (Nicholas)


Thin Phlegm
Syrup of Poppy
Mucilaginous Electuary

Thick, hard-to-clear Phlegm
1. Mastic with Honey
2. Licorice with Tragacanth
3. Galbanum, Sweet Almond
4. Aloe, Honey, mixed and held in the mouth
5. Honey, Butter and Pepper powder, mixed well together
6. Fresh Riose, Pine Nut, Honey, Mastic, Raisin, as an Electuary


1. Tangerine peel (Ju Hong), Green tea. Used for excess white, hard-to-clear Phlegm.
2. Daikon Radish, Green tea, Salt. Good for excess Phlegm, especially with Lung Heat.


Other Causes of Cough
Avicenna mentioned various other cause of Cough including:
  • Cough from the Stomach–Cough worsens during digestion or while filling the Stomach with digestive disturbance.
  • Cough due to Liver disease–symptoms of Liver diseases in addition to Cough
  • Cough caused by Suppuration–dryness (but maybe with a wet cough), pain, expectoration of foul sputum
  • Cough from Abscess of the Chest–Cough with Chest pain; symptoms of Pleurisy or Pneumonia

Medicines for Cough
There are a number of different medicines that may be indicated in Cough:
  • Medicines that directly Stop Cough (Anti-tussives): Coltsfoot
  • Medicines that Clears Phlegm (Expectorants)
  • Open the Airways (Bronchodilators and Antispasmodics)
  • Clear Heat and Inflammation (Anti-inflammatories)
  • Clear Heat and Poison (Anti-bacterial)
  • Relieve Heat and Spasms (Antihistamine)
  • Stop Wheezing (Anti-asthmatic)
  • Emetics (in low doses clear Phelgm)
  • Soothe and nourish Yin (Emollient or Mucilaginous)


Western Tradition

Simples
Figs
Almonds
Thyme
Tragacanth
Licorice
Poppy seed
Agaric
Sulphur

Jujubes
Pine nuts
Hyssop
Gum Arabic
Sugar Penids
Opium
Turbith


Cough in General
1. Mint, Pine Nut, Linseed, Pepper, Honey
2. Valerian Pepper, Horehound, Hyssop, Myrrh, Saffron, Honey (Avicenna)
3. Severe Cough, powdered Sulphur as much as you can pick with three fingers [1 gram], give it with a half-roasted Egg each morning for 5 mornings (3 mornings for a child). It will heal any vehement Cough.
(The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)

Infusion of Thyme
Infusion of Mullein
Pectoral Infusion
Pectoral Decoction
Syrup of Licorice (Mesue)
Syrup of Elecampane
Syrup of Horehound
Syrup of Hyssop of Amaron

Syrup of Coltsfoot Compound
Syrup of Sweet Pomegranate
Conserve of Hyssop flower
Sugar Penids (Diapenidion)
Sugar Penids w Spices (Diapenidion cum Spicatum)
Tragacanth Cooling Powder (Diatragacanth Frigidum)
Powder of Haly
Troches for Cough (Andromachus)
Pills to Cleanse the Chest

A Sound and Experienced Electuary (Mesue)
Aurea Alexandrina
Oil of Wax



Acute Cough
Infusion of Thyme
Pectoral Decoction
Theriac



Chronic Cough

1. Costus, Dill Water, Vinegar (Avicenna)
2. Roasted Linseed, Pepper, Honey (Avicenna)
3. Storax, Honey, mix and lick often
4. Sulphur, mixed with animal fat or honey into Pills.


Principle compounds for Chronic Coughs are:
-
Powder of Anise
-
Athanasia Magna
Chronic Cough with Phlegm:
-Pills of Agaric,
-Lohoch of Pine nuts

-Sound and Experienced Electuary

Other:
Infusion of Mullein
Pectoral Decoction
Anti-Asthmatic Syrup (D'Aquin)

Syrup of Coltsfoot Compound
Syrup of Hyssop (Mesue)
Syrup of Hyssop of Amaron
Syrup of Licorice (Mesue)
Syrup of Horehound Compound
Syrup of Calamint
Syrup of Violet
Lohoch for Asthma

Lohoch of Poppy
Lohoch of Raisin
Lohoch of Pine nuts
Powder of Anise (Dianisum)
Haly's Powder

Black Troches for Cough (Troch. Bechici Nigra)
Troches for Cough (Andromachus)
Athanasia Magna
Esdra
Pills of Agaric (Mesue)

Sea Buckthorn 5 (Star bu 5) (Tibetan Medicine)



Chronic Cough, with purulent matter
Principle formulas
-
Diasulphur
-Lohoch of Pine nut

-Sound and Experienced Electuary

Syrup of Horehound Compound
Syrup of Calamint
Syrup of Jujube (Mesue)

Syrup of Hyssop (Mesue)
Syrup of Prune
Diasulphur

Lohoch of Pine nut

Sandalwood 8 (Tsan dan brgyad pa) (Tibetan)



Cough with Thick Phlegm
Lohoch of Squill

Syrup of Hyssop (Mesue)
Syrup of Horehound of Hamech
Pills of Agaric (Mesue)

Er Chen Tang (TCM)



Tussi diuturnae–Persistent cough
Hyssop
Colocynth
Athanasia

Powder of Anise Compound (Dianisum) (Mesue)
Sugar Penids (Diapenidion) (Nicholas)


TCM Classification

Wind Cold
acute cough with clear mucus, sneezing, runny or blocked nose, no sweating, light fever, headache, muscle aches, feels cold, pale face

Gui Zhi Tang
Xiao Qing Long Tang
Da Qing Long Tang


Wind Heat
acute cough with whitish or yellowish mucus, blocked nose, fever, headache, feels hot

Sang Ju Yin
Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian


Lung Heat

dry hacking cough with yellow mucus, fever,  red cheeks, chest tightness and pain, feels heat in the chest, dry mouth, thirst, shortness of breath, wheezing.

Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang


Cold Phlegm

chronic cough with excess white or clear mucus, heaviness in the chest, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, thick tongue coat.

Er Chen Tang
Gan Cao Gan Jiang Tang

Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang
Fu Ling Gui Zhi Gan Cao Da Zao Tang
Liu Jun Zi Tang


Hot Phlegm

hacking cough, thick yellow, mucus that is hard to clear, sore throat, fullness of the chest, poor appetite, nausea, constipation, fatigue, bitter taste in the mouth, yellow tongue coating

Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan
Gun Tan Wan


Rhodiola Four Decoction (Sro lo bzhi thang) (Tibetan)
Sandalwood 8 (Tsan dan brgyad pa) (Tibetan)
Sea Buckthorn 5 (Star bu 5) (Tibetan Medicine)
Gentiana algida 15 (Spang rgyan dkar po 15) (Tibet.)



Qi deficiency
Chronic, weak cough, short of breath, spontaneous Sweating, fatigue, breathless quickly, frequent colds


Bu Fei Tang
Liu Jun Zi Tang
Sheng Mai San
Shi Quan Da Bu Tang


Qi and Yin deficiency
Weak cough, dry cough, dry throat, no energy, worse at night; as above but with signs of Yin deficiency

Sheng Mai San



Lung Yin Deficiency
chronic dry cough, dry throat, afternoon or tidal fever, malar flushing, night sweats, heat in soles and palms, fatigue, emaciation

Bu Fei E Jiao Tang
Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang
Bai He Gu Jin Tang
Mai Wei Di Huang Wan



Kidney Yang Deficiency
Chronic cough, chronic edema or fluid retention, cold intolerance, heavy limbs, feels the cold, spontaneous sweating, difficult urination, dizziness, palpitations.

Zhen Wu Tang




Special Formulas

PILLS FOR COUGH
  Storax
  Myrrh
  Frankincense
  Saffron
  Licorice juice             equal parts
Form pills the size of a Chickpea.

TROCHES OF ANDROMACHUS FOR COUGH
  Pine nuts                     5 drams
  Starch
  Gum Arabic
  Tragacanth
  White Poppy seed    2 aureos
Form pills to be held in the mouth

PILLS FOR HOT COUGH OF ZACHARIA
  Licorice juice
  Starch
  Tragacanth
  Gum Arabic
  Bitter Almond           1 dram
  Sugar Candy             3 drams
Form Pills with mucilage of Quince seed

EXPERT PILLS FOR COUGH
  Storax
  Myrrh
  Opium
Form pills with Honey. (Poppy seed can replace Opium)

PILLS FOR COUGH
  Agaric                          2 drams
  Frankincense              1 dram
Mix with Hyssop juice and form 10 pills.



TROCHES OF POPPY SEED
    White Poppy seed     30 drams
    Cucurbita seed
    Citrul seed
    Henbane seed            20 drams
    Starch
    Tragacanth
    Gum Arabic                  15 drams
Form Troches with mucilage of Psyllium
Dose: 3 drams with syrup of Poppy or Barley water.
For Cough and Catarrh

EXPERT PILLS FOR COUGH FROM COLD AND DRYNESS OF PAULUS
    Myrrh
    Saffron
    Pine nut
    Quince seed
    Fennel seed
    Aniseed
    Sweet Almond
    Bitter Almond
    White Poppy seed
    Licorice juice               equal parts
Mix with Penid three times the weight, and Fennel juice, and form pills

DIAPAPAVER
    White Poppy seed     30 drams
    Licorice
    Tragacanth
    Sugar Penids               20 drams
    Gum Arabic
    Licorice juice
    Bean meal
    Fennel seed
    Aniseed
    Lettuce seed
    Starch
    Purslane seed
    Mallow seed               10 drams
    Cucumber seed
    Melon seed
    Cucurbit seed              5 drams
Confect with Honey purified, or with Penids and Honey together

Home
ABOUT
Brief Overview
RESOURCES
Timeline

materia medica – FREE
Materia Medica – PRO
Chinese Classification
Western Classification

Humoral Medicine

Diseases & Formulas
Resources
Theory
Links & Texts
Patient Resources

Shop
Texts for Sale
Contact us

TERMS OF USE
PRIVACY POLICY


© MedicineTradition 2015–2022
  • Home
  • Materia Medica
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine FREE
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica PRO
    • Animal Materia Medica FREE
    • Mineral Materia Medica PRO
    • Mineral Materia Medica FREE
  • About
  • Formulas
  • Treatment
    • Types of Treatment in Traditional Medicine
    • Treatment of Specific Conditions
    • Diseases and Formulas
  • Resources
    • Brief Overview of Traditional Medicine
    • Theory
    • Timeline
    • Authors and Sources
    • Glossaries
    • Articles on Traditional Medicine
    • Photos
    • Medicine Pictures
    • Substitute Medicines
  • Patient Resources
  • Links & Texts
  • Contact Us
  • Blog